Bier



Feb. 16 1926.-- l,573,398

B. M. GRIFFITH BIER Filed Dec. 29, 192

n i I Hal-u Patented F 16, 192 35,

BENJAMIN GRIFFITH; OF PITTSBURGH,

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO NATIONAL "CASKET COMPANY, OF yITTSBURG-E, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

BIER.

Application filed'December 2a, 1924. serial no. 758,541.

State'of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Biers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The present invention relates-broadly to supports, and more particularly to supports of the character adapted for use in maintaining caskets in a predetermined elevated position during ceremonials and the like.

It has heretofore been proposed, in the art to which this invention relates, to construct biers of a collapsible or extensible nature, wl'iereby they are adapted to be extended for caskets ofdifierent sizes and collapsed-for convenient handling. The construction of the biers with which I am familiar,however, has not been such as to enable the compactfolding which is desirable, and they have further been of such construction, when extensible, as to" detract materially from their appearance.

The present invention has for certain of its objects, construction of a bier having sufficient strength and rigidity to adapt it to the purposes for which it is intended, and at the sane time so constructed that it is adapted to fold compactly and present an attractive appearance whether folded or extended.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodimentof the present inventi'on, it being understood that the drawings do not define the limits of my invention,

and that changes may be made in the construction and operation therein disclosed without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of my broader claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of the bier in extended position ready to receive a casket;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the bier in collapsed position, and

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view, on an enlarged scale, illustrating the means for maintaining the legs in predetermined spaced relationship.

In carrying out the present invention, there may be provided a bier comprising, in attest; intermed a port on an t end portions, the intermediate portion being constructed to permit extension for caskets of different lengths, and the end portions comprising the supporting legs.

In a construction of this character, the intermediate portion may convcnieiitly comprise a pair of spaced tubular outer members 2 directly secured at one end to an upright 55, and at the other end maintained in predetermined spaced relationship by a tubular spreader l interwmnecting the same. Telescopically mounted within the outer members 2 are inner members 5, each secured at one end to an upright 6, and spaced to free ly slide within the outer members.

The uprights 3 and (3' are preferably of similar construction, whereby during the manufacture of 'he bier, a single pattern may be utilized, thereby facilitating manufacture and permitting interchangeability of the parts during assembly. Each of these so ports has formed on opposite sides thereof spaced lugs 7 forming brackets between which are pivotally mounted upper braces 8 and lower braces 9, which braces at their outer ends are secured to 10. Preferably the braces S and 9 are secured to the uprights inthe plane of the outer members, whereby added strength is secured and symmetry of appearance obtained, all of the parts when in use constituting, in effect, continuations one of the other, and when folded lying in side by side relationship, as clearly apparent from Figure 2. The legs are adapted to be folded in opposite directions, whereby when folded, one leg of each pair will lie on opposite sides of the intermediate portion. For holding the legs normally against such folding movement, one of the lower braces of each pair may be perforated to receive the downturned end 11 of a latch 1'2, the opposite end of which is turned downwardly to en' gage a recess 13 in the opposite brace 9 of each pair. In order to permit the latch to be engaged and disengaged, the downturned portion 11 may be of such length as to permit it to slide freely through the brace 9 to which it is attached. the movement in one direction being limited by a shoulder ll and in the opposite direction by a head It has been found desirable in practice to so construct and proportion the parts that the legs 10 carry all of the load. For this reason, they are each preferably provided with an extension 16 projecting a slight distance above the plane of the braces 8 and the intermediate portion, thereby relieving the intermediate portion of any strain or any load, such as would tend to distort the tubes and prevent free telescopic movement thereof.

The advantages of the present invention arise from the provision of a bierpresenting a pleasing appearance, extensible to accommodate caskets of different sizes and con structed whereby it may be easily and conveniently extended or collapsed with the supporting legs on opposite sides of the intermediate portion.

I claim:

1. A bier,con'iprising an intermediate portion, uprights at the ends of said intermediate portion adapted to rest on a supporting surface for the bier, brackets on each of said uprights in vertically spaced relation, and oppositely folding legs pivotally mounted in said brackets, substantially as described. 7

' 2. A. bier, comprising an intermediate portion, uprights at the ends of said intermediate portion adapted to rest on a supporting surface for the bier, brackets on each of said uprights in. vertically spaced relation, and oppositely and individually folding legs pivotally mounted in said brackets,substantially as described.

8. A bier, comprising an intermediate portion, uprights at the ends of said intermediate portion adapted to rest on a supporting surface for the bier, brackets on each of said uprights in vertically spaced relation, oppositely folding legs pivotally mounted in said brackets, and means for holding said legs in predetermined angular spaced relation against collapse, substantially as described.

4. A bier, comprising an intermediate portion, uprights at the ends of said intermdi 'ate'portion, brackets on each of said uprights in vertically spaced relation, oppositely folding legs pivotally mounted in said brackets, and means for holding said legs in predetermined angularrelation, said means being normally carried entirely by 'one of said legs, substantially as described.

5, In a'bier, an intermediate portion comprising a pair of tubular outer members and a pair of inner members telescopically co operating therewith, uprights secured respectively to the ends of said members at one end only, a spreader for the free ends of said outer members, and oppositely folding legs attached to said uprights, substantially as described.v

6. A bier, comprising an extensible intermediate portion having upper and lower extensible members, uprights at the ends of said members, brackets carried by said uprights substantially in the plane of said members, braces pivotally mounted insaid brackets, legs secured to said braces, said legs being oppositely foldable against the sides of said intermediate portion or out-- wardly into supporting relation, and means for maintaining the same in supporting relatio n, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my. hand.

BENJAMIN M. GRIFFITH. 

